Shillong (Meghalaya), Dec 1: The North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda & Homoeopathy (NEIAH) here has been witnessing a stir among its postgraduate students, who have been protesting for several days over their long-standing demands. The students’ agitation gained momentum after they embarked on a hunger strike, with one of the students being hospitalized due to deteriorating health conditions.
A delegation of State BJP leaders, led by AL Hek Minister, recently visited the agitating students at their campus to take stock of the situation. Prior to meeting the students, the delegation met with the officials of the institute, who briefed them on the status of the students’ grievances. The officials informed the delegation that the students’ main demands, including an increase in stipend and affiliation of the PG course with the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), would be addressed within the next 8-10 days.
The delegation then met with the agitating postgraduate students, as well as the undergraduate students who were extending their support to the protesters. The students presented their grievances in detail, citing the non-response from the faculty as the reason for their extreme step of resorting to a hunger strike.
The BJP delegation earnestly requested the students to temporarily suspend their hunger strike, especially in light of the hospitalized student’s condition. The students, however, remained adamant about their demands, seeking a concrete resolution to their grievances.
The institute, established in 2016, offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Ayurveda and Homoeopathy. The students’ agitation has brought to the fore the long-standing issues plaguing the institute, including inadequate infrastructure and faculty shortages.
The visit by the BJP delegation has raised hopes among the agitating students, who are now waiting with bated breath for the administration to address their grievances. As the situation unfolds, one thing is certain – the students will not back down until their demands are met.
